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@Wylie great to see I did chose flowering size bulbs, as intended - both species are about to flower here as well, where both ave proven hardy.

@Aad great to see you sharing the joys of our EX!

So now's time to wrap up June, which was even wetter than May, with a grand total (for now - somethins's cooking in the tropical air) 230 l/m² (=230 mm) - no surprise that my Hostas look like Monstera and some of the dahlias still didn't reach 5 cm height. At least Mirabilis multiflora seems to have finally reached the point of no more slug-down. but tose beasts also killed off a second year seeling of Clivia gardenii. But let's see what has survived:

Starting with something sold as yellow form of Bletilla striata

Height:	10-30 cm (0.3-1 ft)
Flower Colors:	pink, purple, blue, white
Life form:	deciduous rhizome
Climate:	USDA Zone 7-9

- it actually doesn't seem to be a ochracea, so "yellow striata" may be right? As always: rain from above is not popular with Bletilla. Another orchid in flower ist this hybrid Epipactis - I'm not too great i telling the hybrids apart - Summer? passion? Epipactis tend to "rhizoom" around, not making this any easier.

The potted Cautleya spicata

already has opened up, the outdoor specimen will need a few days more. Also early (for the Genus, not for the species) is Tricyrtis latifolia.

New in the list of survivors in the outside garden is this Freesia - I wouldn't dare to say either grandiflora or laxa, as both seed around. Ferraria welwitschii

Height:	30-45 cm (1-1.5 ft)
Flower Colors:	yellow, brown, patterned
Flower Season:	early summer

seems to once again prefer flowering in early summer, I've also seen them flowering synchronous with fall crocus - they seem to decide spontaneously, maybe depending on whether summer heat came early.

Next one is maybe not exactly a geophyte despite living underground most of the year. It's Orobanche centauriana (syn O. kochii), growing on Centauriana scabiosa - a very welcome surprise finding after heavy rain threw down the Centaurea. Growing parasites always is tricky and nerve-wrenching - I had put the seeds to that parent plant in fall 2021, and this is the first overground sign since then.

last one is a beautiful mutant flower of a Zantedeschia hybrid. would be brilliant if one could force those...

Amorphophallus linearis from EX08_313 Exhange

Dioscorea discolor from EX08_314 exchange

  

Quote from: David Pilling on June 20, 2024, 05:30:55 PMDo plants like banana water? Gardening experts weigh in

I used to work with a Nigerian who had lots of fingers in various Nigerian pies..............one was a soap factory. 
They made soft soap (usually used as shaving soap amongst other uses, and the potassium salt, rather than sodium salt, of fatty acids), using banana skin ash.

Hello @Wylie,
The clone of Cypella aquatilis circulating in the EU BX is a single clone. I grow it, too but with me it never sets seed. I have looked for pollen to use the microwave method but could not find any. Please have a lookout for seed forming, you may have different pollinators. Seed would be most important to maintain this beautiful plant in cultivation.

Dear All,

The first box of two of the EU joint bulb oder from South Africa is in Martin's hands now and the individual packets will be posted.
The second box is still at customs, we have no influence on the timing but as the first box was cleared after some correspondence we think the second one should go through as well.
We are sorry for the delay for part of the orders.
There was and is a tremendous amount of bureaucracy and correspondence involved with these joint orders and there are some hiccups.

We keep you posted

Uli and Martin

I got a bulb of Cypella aquatilis from the EU Bx this year, and here it is flowering for the first time. I also have Cypella herbertii in flower.

Drimia nana...very small and very cute!

Quote from: Too Many Plants! on June 27, 2024, 08:53:09 PM

Quote from: Robin Jangle on June 24, 2024, 12:08:49 AM

Quote from: Too Many Plants! on June 22, 2024, 03:42:41 PMWell, I wasn't expecting to be able to post a bulb flowering in the 101°F of late June. But here I am! Unfortunately I can't seem to locate the tag, and I'm not into disturbing the bulb while flowering or digging on my knees in 101°F for a tag 🏷�. To kill a gopher in my garden...for sure! But a 🏷� will have to wait. Maybe someone will recognize this (should be) South African species???

Forgot to mention...excited to see this bulbs very first flowering!!

It is a Crinum species - foliage resembles that of C. lugardiae but flowers will be needed to confirm.

Hi Robin, here are pics of the flowers...no scent really, and basically whitish. So I must have bought it for the foliage. I have at least a couple more Crinum that seem to be much slower than this guy. I've searched my records, but so far can't find where I purchased these, or what species they were purchased as. I tag most of my plants if they're not something I would know, but none of these I can find tags for.

Flowers are too tubular for C. lugardiae but are a very close fit for C. macowanii. I'm pretty confident that it is Crinum macowanii